Tafel.] 305 [October. 



may be seen that Dr. Rapp was not so very wrong in placing it be- 

 tween a m father and o.] 



§ 6. Thus far it has been my object to enumerate the different 

 vowel-sounds contained in the English language, to explain their for- 

 mation, and to define the particular point which each of them occupy 

 in the general vowel-line. Our attention will now be directed to the 

 long and short sounds which are formed in eac"h of these points. 

 Concerning this subject, R. von Raumer (Deutsche Eechtschrei- 

 bung, Wien, 1855, page 60), advances some new ideas, of which I 

 propose to give the following synopsis : 



It is usually supposed that the long vowels are simply prolonga- 

 tions of the short ones ; so that by prolonging the letter i in flit, we 

 obtain the sound of ee in fleet; or by prolonging the sound of e in 

 edge, we get the sound of a in age. But this is a mistake ; the long 

 and short vowels differ not only in the length of time required for 

 their pronunciation, but also in their intonation. The position of the 

 organs of the mouth is the same, but tliere is a difference in the 

 quality of the sound produced in the glottis. This can very easily 

 be seen by comparing the sound of the vowels in flit and fleet, and 

 the difference becomes especially striking when we commence to pro- 

 nounce the word flit; but, after pronouncing half of it, pass over 

 into the word fleet. By this experiment we find, that during this 

 process the pronunciation of the vowel is suddenly rendered more 

 emphatic. This difference between the long and short vowels is ad- 

 mitted to some degree by Dr. Briicke, but he explains it by saying 

 that in the pronunciation of the short sounds we are very apt not to 

 articulate them as distinctly as when we dwell upon them a little 

 longer. Still, whatever may be its cause, R. von Baumer proves the 

 fact that we make a positive distinction between the articulation of 

 the long and short vowels. This distinction is very important for us 

 to know in investigating the long and short vowels in use in the 

 English language, lest we might account a mere difference in into- 

 nation a difference in sound. 



The distinction between long and short vowels is made in each of 

 the general and particular vowel-sounds with the exception of e in 

 her, i in hird, &c., and o in Jove, or u in hut. The (juantity of the 

 former sound can cither be made long or short, at the option of the 

 speaker, without altering the word any, but the second sound is al- 

 ways found short. Of some vowel-sounds, as of a in father and o 

 in note, there are no corresponding short sounds in the English lan- 

 guage, but they exist in all other languaircs. Of the sounds of a in 



